Trappe Shot, unraced since last summer, made his
4-year-old debut a winning one, overcoming a slight stumble at the start to win
the $60,000 Waldoboro overnight stakes, one of two sprint stakes on the
Wednesday card at Belmont Park.

Returning from a ninth in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga Race Course
in August, Trappe Shot bobbled coming out of the gate and was quickly taken to
the outside by jockey John Velazquez to race off the pace in third as Deputy
Daney opened a five-length advantage through an opening quarter-mile in 22.37.
Trappe Shot and D’ Funnybone moved in tandem as Deputy Daney relinquished
the lead at the top of the stretch, and the eventual winner outkicked his competition
to prevail by a half-length.

“The doors opened and he reacted so quickly that he surprised
himself,” said Velazquez. “He caught himself before he actually
stumbled. He broke, and got up right away. I know [D’ Funnybone] is a
little timid when you have someone outside of him. It was perfectly drawn for
me: break a little slow, put him on the outside of them, and keep the pressure
on him. When he’s on the outside, it’s hard to beat him.”

Trappe Shot, the 4-5 favorite in the field of four, paid $3.90 for a $2
win wager and was timed in 1:09.03 for six furlongs.

Although Trappe Shot won the 1 1/16-mile Long Branch and finished second to divisional
champion Lookin At Lucky in the Grade 1, 1 1/8-mile Haskell Invitational as a
3-year-old, he will likely remain in sprints for now according to his trainer,
Kiaran McLaughlin.

“He’s going to hopefully improve from the run,” said
McLaughlin. “He came back just a bigger, stronger horse this year. He
didn’t break real well again – he’s not great at the gate
– but he ran very well. We’ll look at the [Grade 2, six-furlong]
True North [Handicap] on Belmont
[Stakes] Day.”

Trappe Shot, now 5-1-0 from seven starts, earned $36,000 for his
Waldoboro victory, pushing his lifetime earnings to $426,384. Bred in Florida by Hobeau Farm
Ltd., the 4-year-old son of Tapit is owned by Nicholas Brady’s Mill
House.

Rule by Night finished 2 ½ lengths behind Trappe Shot in third, with
Deputy Daney completing the order of finish. This Ones for Phil and Sunrise
Smarty were scratched.

In the $100,000 New York Stallion Series Times Square Division, Darrin’s
Dilemma used front-running tactics under jockey Ramon Dominguez to easily
prevail as the odds-on favorite.

Fourth against older horses after setting the pace in an entry level
New York-bred allowance on April 9, Darrin’s Dilemma found this group of
3-year-olds to his liking, taking a 1 ½-length lead through an opening
quarter-mile of 23.08, extending the advantage to three lengths through a
half-mile in 46.04, and finding the wire 2 ¼ lengths to the good of
Freud’s Honour.

Darrin’s Dilemma returned $2.60 for a $2 win wager and completed
6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.55.

“It went as planned,” said Dominguez. “We were the
speed of the race. I was happy with the way my horse relaxed. He’s a
pretty quick horse, and even if you are the only speed you’re concerned
they’ll go out too fast. He proved to be the best in this field
today.”

Darrin’s Dilemma, a son of Freud, is now 2-2-0 from five starts,
with the winner’s share of the Times Square
purse more than doubling his career earnings to $99,700.

“I was concerned about the distance a little bit, but he ran a
pretty good race,” said winning trainer Rudy Rodriguez. “Hopefully
he can keep improving, and we’ll take it from there. We’re just
going to enjoy this one for now.”

Warrior Up received show honors, with Freuds Ana Streak, also trained
by Rudy Rodriguez, finishing fourth. With a Cape,
Wishingonastar, and Anaphylaxis completed the order of finish.